Linear polarization measurements provide access to two quantities, the degree (DOP) and the angle of polarization (AOP). The aim of this work is to give a complete and concise overview of how to ...analyze polarimetric measurements. We review interval estimations for the DOP with a frequentist and a Bayesian approach. Point estimations for the DOP and interval estimations for the AOP are further investigated with a Bayesian approach to match observational needs. Point and interval estimations are calculated numerically for frequentist and Bayesian statistics. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to clarify the meaning of the calculations. Under observational conditions, the true DOP and AOP are unknown, so that classical statistical considerations-based on true values-are not directly usable. In contrast, Bayesian statistics handles unknown true values very well and produces point and interval estimations for DOP and AOP directly. Using a Bayesian approach, we show how to choose DOP point estimations based on the measured signal-to-noise ratio. Interval estimations for the DOP show great differences in the limit of low signal-to-noise ratios between the classical and Bayesian approach. AOP interval estimations that are based on observational data are presented for the first time. All results are directly usable via plots and parametric fits.
THESEUS, one of the two space mission concepts being studied by ESA as candidates for next M5 mission within its Comsic Vision programme, aims at fully exploiting Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB) to solve key ...questions about the early Universe, as well as becoming a cornerstone of multi-messenger and time-domain astrophysics. By investigating the first billion years of the Universe through high-redshift GRBs, THESEUS will shed light on the main open issues in modern cosmology, such as the population of primordial low mass and luminosity galaxies, sources and evolution of cosmic re-ionization, SFR and metallicity evolution up to the “cosmic dawn” and across Pop-III stars. At the same time, the mission will provide a substantial advancement of multi-messenger and time-domain astrophysics by enabling the identification, accurate localisation and study of electromagnetic counterparts to sources of gravitational waves and neutrinos, which will be routinely detected in the late ‘20s and early ‘30s by the second and third generation Gravitational Wave (GW) interferometers and future neutrino detectors, as well as of all kinds of GRBs and most classes of other X/gamma-ray transient sources. Under all these respects, THESEUS will provide great synergies with future large observing facilities in the multi-messenger domain. A Guest Observer programme, comprising Target of Opportunity (ToO) observations, will expand the science return of the mission, to include, e.g., solar system minor bodies, exoplanets, and AGN.
. Three different breast positron emission tomography (PET) insert geometries are proposed for integration into an existing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) breast coil (Breast Biopsy Coil, NORAS MRI ...products) to be used inside a whole-body PET/MRI scanner (Biograph mMR, Siemens Healthineers) to enhance the sensitivity and spatial resolution of imaging inside the breast.
. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to predict and compare the performance characteristics of the three geometries in terms of the sensitivity, spatial resolution, scatter fraction, and noise equivalent count rate (NECR). In addition, the background single count rate due to organ uptake in a clinical scan scenario was predicted using a realistic anthropomorphic phantom.
. In the center of the field of view (cFOV), absolute sensitivities of 3.1%, 2.7%, and 2.2% were found for Geometry A (detectors arranged in two cylinders), Geometry B (detectors arranged in two partial cylinders), and Geometry C (detectors arranged in two half cylinders combined with two plates), respectively. The full width at half maximum spatial resolution was determined to be 1.7 mm (Geometry A), 1.8 mm (Geometry B) and 2.0 mm (Geometry C) at 5 mm from the cFOV. Designs with multiple scintillation-crystal layers capable of determining the depth of interaction (DOI) strongly improved the spatial resolution at larger distances from the transaxial cFOV. The system scatter fractions were 33.1% (Geometries A and B) and 32.3% (Geometry C). The peak NECRs occurred at source activities of 300 MBq (Geometry A), 310 MBq (Geometry B) and 340 MBq (Geometry C). The background single-event count rates were 17.1 × 10
cps (Geometry A), 15.3 × 10
cps (Geometry B) and 14.8 × 10
cps (Geometry C). Geometry A in the three-layer DOI variant exhibited the best PET performance characteristics but could be challenging to manufacture. Geometry C had the lowest impact on the spatial resolution and the lowest sensitivity among the investigated geometries.
. Geometry B in the two-layer DOI variant represented an effective compromise between the PET performance and manufacturing difficulty and was found to be a promising candidate for the future breast PET insert.
The High Energy Modular Ensemble of Satellites (HERMES) project is aimed to realize a modular X/gamma-ray monitor for transient events, to be placed on-board of a nano-satellite bus (e.g. CubeSat). ...This expandable platform will achieve a significant impact on Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) science and on the detection of Gravitational Wave (GW) electromagnetic counterparts: the recent LIGO/VIRGO discoveries demonstrated that the high-energy transient sky is still a field of extreme interest. The very complex temporal variability of GRBs (experimentally verified up to the millisecond scale) combined with the spatial and temporal coincidence between GWs and their electromagnetic counterparts suggest that upcoming instruments require sub-microsecond time resolution combined with a transient localization accuracy lower than a degree. The current phase of the ongoing HERMES project is focused on the realization of a technological pathfinder with a small network (3 units) of nano-satellites to be launched in mid 2020. We will show the potential and prospects for short and medium-term development of the project, demonstrating the disrupting possibilities for scientific investigations provided by the innovative concept of a new “modular astronomy” with nano-satellites (e.g. low developing costs, very short realization time). Finally, we will illustrate the characteristics of the HERMES Technological Pathfinder project, demonstrating how the scientific goals discussed are actually already reachable with the first nano-satellites of this constellation. The detector architecture will be described in detail, showing that the new generation of scintillators (e.g. GAGG:Ce) coupled with very performing Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD) and low noise Front-End-Electronics (FEE) are able to extend down to few keV the sensitivity band of the detector. The technical solutions for FEE, Back-End-Electronics (BEE) and Data Handling will be also described.
The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is a future gamma-ray observatory that is planned to significantly improve upon the sensitivity and precision of the current generation of Cherenkov telescopes. ...The observatory will consist of several dozens of telescopes with different sizes and equipped with different types of cameras. Of these, the FlashCam camera system is the first to implement a fully digital signal processing chain which allows for a traceable, configurable trigger scheme and flexible signal reconstruction. As of autumn 2016, a prototype FlashCam camera for the medium-sized telescopes of CTA nears completion. First results of the ongoing system tests demonstrate that the signal chain and the readout system surpass CTA requirements. The stability of the system is shown using long-term temperature cycling.
•A full-scale prototype of the FlashCam Cherenkov camera is in operation.•System level testing and characterisation in a dark room is ongoing.•The performances of the data acquisition and the signal chain have been verified.•The system is stable over long periods and robust against temperature variations.
We present an FPGA-based digital camera electronics consisting of an Event-Preprocessor (EPP) for on-board data preprocessing and a related Sequencer (SEQ) to generate the necessary signals to ...control the readout of the detector. The device has been originally designed for the Simbol-X low energy detector (LED). The EPP operates on 64×64 pixel images and has a real-time processing capability of more than 8000 frames per second. The already working releases of the EPP and the SEQ are now combined into one Digital-Camera-Controller-Chip (D3C).
Solid-state detectors that operate in orbit are required to withstand harsh space environment conditions. Among the various phenomena able to damage the sensors, X-ray detectors are subjected to ...impacts of orbital debris and micrometeoroids whenever, to be sensitive to low energy photons, they need to be "directly" exposed to the sky. The LOFT mission, proposed for the M3 class opportunity of the ESA Cosmic Vision, has a very-large sensitive area (greater than 10 m super(2)) made of Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD). Moreover, the satellite includes an X-ray Wide-Field Monitor based on the same SDD detectors. Here we present the results of a test campaign at the Cosmic Dust Accelerator Facility at MPIK in Heidelberg aimed at the space qualification of the detectors with respect to this phenomenon.
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